IllustrationRACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY FAILED. NLM
1997 Lincoln Continental
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Lincoln Continental do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Continental years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 18 of 96 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Visibility. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
96 reportsSEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED. YH
BATTERY CABLE CONNECTION TO STARTER SOLENOID IS LOOSE.MGM
FRONT PASSENGER SEAT ADJUSTMENT IS INOPERABLE. YH
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE HORN STARTED BLOWING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE MOTOR STOPPED NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BRAKES. ALSO THE LIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. OWNER HAS NO…
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WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE HORN STARTED BLOWING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE MOTOR STOPPED NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BRAKES. ALSO THE LIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. OWNER HAS NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE SINCE. *AK
STEERING RACK IS CRACKED, COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. DEALER ASK NOT TO DRIVE IT
2 SETS OF FRONT TIRES HAVE WORN OUT AT 17000MI & 32000MI & 3RD SET IS SHOWING WEAR AT37600MI. WEAR WAS TO STEEL BELTS WERE TREAD MEETS INSIDE SIDEWALL. CAN NOT SEE UNLESS ON LIFT. WENT TO 2 GARAGES AND BOTH CONFIRM ALIGNMENT OK. CAR DEALER SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" AND YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT.THE COST OF REPLACING TIRES IS NOT MAJOR CO…
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2 SETS OF FRONT TIRES HAVE WORN OUT AT 17000MI & 32000MI & 3RD SET IS SHOWING WEAR AT37600MI. WEAR WAS TO STEEL BELTS WERE TREAD MEETS INSIDE SIDEWALL. CAN NOT SEE UNLESS ON LIFT. WENT TO 2 GARAGES AND BOTH CONFIRM ALIGNMENT OK. CAR DEALER SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" AND YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT.THE COST OF REPLACING TIRES IS NOT MAJOR CONCERN. VEHICLE IS USED AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS MOST OF TIME AND IF I SHOULD FAIL TO NOTICE THE WEAR WHICH I CAN'T READILY SEE, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR. I DON'T THINK 15000 MI. SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NORMAL. I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A COPY OF YOUR SERVICE BULLETIN NOS. BC1021297230 & BC3422972301.( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: P225/60R16 )
VEHICLE HAS A SMELL OF RAW GASOLINE. SOMETIMES WHEN CONSUMER DRIVES THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS MADE HIM AND WIFE SICK. *AK *SLC
REARVIEW MIRROR IS DISTORTED. THE DRIVER CANNOT LOOK THROUGH THE MIRROR. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. A NEW MIRROR HAS BEEN ORDERED. *AK
PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE COMPLETELY, DISABLING THE DOOR.
Official recalls
196V166000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Sep 5, 1996
THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.